The best walks and hikes around Saint-Cirq-Lapopie

One of the most beautiful villages in France, full of charm! Very steep too, so it's better to visit it on foot, but it's worth wandering through the narrow streets, with your bike in hand if necessary.

La Maison André Breton (historically known as Auberge des Mariniers) is the oldest inhabited building in the medieval village of Saint-Cirq-Lapopie in the Lot. Purchased in 1951 by the poet and theorist of surrealism André Breton, it was his summer refuge until his death in 1966 and the gathering place for many major artists of the time (such as Max Ernst, Man Ray or Joan Miró).

This historic and narrow alley runs along the back of the village theatre and houses, among other things: La Maison de la Fourdonne: a remarkable medieval dwelling serving as a cultural space and recounting the history of the village.

Located in the heart of the famous medieval village of Saint-Cirq-Lapopie, these freely accessible ruins correspond to an old fortified dwelling built between the 13th and 14th centuries. Established on a rocky spur overlooking the Lot, the fortified complex was shared between three families of co-lords: the Lapopie, the Gourdon, and the Cardaillac. The castle of the latter is the best preserved, with its main building leaning against a Romanesque keep with buttresses.

In the Middle Ages, the village was a major stronghold in the Quercy region. The site was shared between three major noble dynasties (the Lapopie, the Gourdon, and the Cardaillac), each of whom owned their own castle at the top of the rock. The name comes from Saint Cyr (a young Christian martyr from the 4th century) and the noble Lapopie family, who gave their name to the steep rock (la popa meaning "the breast" in Occitan, evoking the shape of the cliff).

In the Middle Ages, the village was a major stronghold of the Quercy region. The site was shared between three great lordly dynasties (the Lapopie, the Gourdon, and the Cardaillac), each of whom owned their own castle at the top of the rock. The name comes from Saint Cyr (a young Christian martyr from the 4th century) and the lordly family of the Lapopie, who gave their name to the steep rock (la popa meaning "the breast" in Occitan, evoking the shape of the cliff).

In the Middle Ages, the village was a major stronghold in the Quercy region. The site was shared between three major feudal dynasties (the Lapopie, the Gourdon, and the Cardaillac), each of whom owned their own castle at the top of the rock. The name comes from Saint Cyr (a young Christian martyr from the 4th century) and the feudal family of Lapopie, who gave their name to the steep rock (la popa meaning "the breast" in Occitan, evoking the shape of the cliff).

The Wine Museum in Saint-Cirq-Lapopie is an unmissable hybrid venue combining a high-end delicatessen and a fun cultural space dedicated to the secrets of Cahors wine.